Maybe? Final demo version released!


I've updated the files and attempted to stomp out as many bugs as possible so that I could officially release the Ventio Mortis demo! Thank you to my wonderful friends for playtesting the game, giving feedback and catching errors. While I believe many of the bugs and errors have been stomped out, I am also sure that a lot of them haven't been. If anyone happens to notice anything, feel free to get in contact with us on facebook or through the website (links available on our itch.io page). I would also love to hear any and all feedback! Who's your favorite character so far? Least favorite? Let us know! And hopefully, enjoy!

Files

Ventio_Mortis-0.1-win.zip 178 MB
Nov 13, 2017
Ventio_Mortis-0.1-mac.zip 176 MB
Nov 13, 2017
Ventio_Mortis-0.1-linux.tar.bz2 181 MB
Nov 13, 2017

Get Ventio Mortis

Comments

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Played the game last night and so far I loved it! Hallowelle certainly piques my interest, it's good to see that more and more MCs with different personalities are being created for visual novels these days. I still remember the cookie cutter heroines that used to feature in female lead VNs before independent developers really had a chance to get into the spotlight with things like Lemmasoft and Steam (and of course itch.io).  But enough of me talking like an old lady, lets sink our teeth into the meat of things (just like our heroine)!

Not too much can be said about the plot so far, since we're only at the very start. It does have plenty of potential though, there's a decent set up for internal drama causing everything that the MC has built to collapse in on itself. Through the player's decisions, we could see Hallowelle struggling to relate to the other characters, brushing up against success or throwing it all away to retreat further into the 'safety' of isolation.  Personally I think it'd be most interesting to see her struggling with the question herself, although I think any player who goes that route will inevitably end up with everything slipping through their fingers. 

Speaking of, I like how you set up that Hallowelle actually does have a lot to lose, though not quite in the way that Inan puts it. It feels like Hallowelle is a little too assured of herself and her way of life at times, setting herself up for a possible fall. Even if she sees Drisdon and Robbie as disposable, and her lair as abandon-able, sloppiness or simple bad luck could easily mean something precious getting left behind... 

Moving on to the rest of the characters, Napoleon is definitely my favorite so far! Such a sweet and bouncy ray of moonlight, and the perfect pinch of mischief too. I want to know what makes her so special to Hallowelle, was it that she knew her before turning her? 

And Inan, the loyal friend, so seemingly rational and levelheaded. What is his story? Why does he need so badly to pursue his craft? And what is that ever so particular madness that flashes behind his eyes? Was it there before he 'lived again'? I think the answer is yes.

Robbie has so much anger and self-loathing, Drisdon is so lovesick and dramatic... Honestly you've made me want to know more about all the characters, which is excellent! Dharma is the real wrinkle though, the light that leads back to the living world as well as the downfall for the dead. What could such a child have had to endure to see a savior in the Witch Queen who tells her so openly she'll be eaten or experimented on or worse!? My mind goes straight to the darkest most abhorrent pits of child abuse, but I hope her history isn't so. 

The setting is definitely to my taste, with dark tales of magic and shattered hearts and dusty mansions stringed with gore as if it were red lace~ All in all I can't wait to play the full game and see the journey that you'll take us through! 

I appreciate all that you've said, and I know my co-writer will be absolutely enthralled to know that Napoleon is your favorite since she's one of the characters she writes for! I love your take on everything so far, as it's very in-line with what I was hoping to achieve through storytelling. And as for everyone's backstories, I really can't wait to get to tell everyone more in the game. I had to really fight myself not to include all of the good bits in the demo. I can at least promise you will definitely find out why Hollowelle and Napoleon are so close, and we will definitely delve into each of the characters in depth within their own routes where hopefully all of your wonderful questions will be answered! In the mean time, if you're curious about the characters, feel free to check out the tumblr which I will link here. There's little glimpses into who they are and what their story is that I think you might find interesting! and thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a long and thought-out comment. It makes my lil heart happy. If you're interested in helping to spread the word about the game, here is a link to our kickstarter, as well, which also has a bit more about each of the characters.